Vineyard owners use Gospel of John metaphor to guide winemaking philosophy
In the th chapter of the Gospel of John Jesus tells his followers how they can better understand their relationship with him He says I am the vine you are the branches If you remain in me and I in you you will bear much fruit apart from me you can do nothing Those words take on even more meaning when you own a vineyard witness the grapes grow and tend to their spiraling branches At least that's how it is for the Savaryn family of Waconia Minnesota at their vineyard Sovereign Estate where they're living out that verse every day NAVY VET-TURNED-WINEMAKER INFUSES MILITARY GRIT INTO POWERHOUSE POURS A lot of people think about the vine being the wispy long tenderly thing that grows but it's not That's the branch co-owner Terri Savaryn reported Fox News The vine is the actual woody gnarly deep-rooted plant that's grown It's very strong So when Christ says he's the vine he's a real anchor to everything Savaryn's -acre vineyard which sits on the banks of Lake Waconia in the south-central part of the state is a testament to the legacy of the Savaryn clan's core values faith family beauty excellence TEXAS WINERY BEATS NAPA ELITES WITH SMALL-TOWN SAVVY AND TOP-NOTCH TASTE Once we committed to the idea that we would be doing God's work whatever way we presented our wine it became part of our values for how we would pursue the whole business Savaryn declared For countless people of faith who view wine as an evil it may be surprising to hear a person who's part of the Body of Christ admit that wine is good But almost every book in the Bible mentions wine or vines or vineyards In Deuteronomy God calls wine the blood of the grape And it's this cryptic reference that takes on a much deeper meaning in the New Testament when Jesus pours the wine at the Last Supper saying This is my blood poured out for you The Bible never calls wine evil only the overindulgence of it TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZIf you visit Sovereign Estate grounds the faith part of their winemaking is in fact quite subtle The rustic chandelier in the retail store is made of vines It also resembles a Crown of Thorns to those familiar with the crucifixion of Jesus A short scripture is on the back of every label The only noticeable element of faith amid the private cabanas wine-tasting room and the sprawling grounds around a small concert venue is a serene garden next to a small pond that's dedicated to the Virgin Mary Otherwise the vineyard appears as any other that's trying to make its mark in what has become a billion industry in the United States Several of Sovereign's wines have even won international awards and competitions CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTEROn an upcoming episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast Savaryn and her husband Paul talk about the faith that built the vineyard They share how Paul's father a physician and immigrant from Ukraine started a hospital and bought up farm property on the shores of one of Minnesota's lakes and how it turned out that the elevation was perfect for vine-growing and the newly developed cold-climate grape from the University of Minnesota She also talks about her sons Isaac and Ben and how they are the vital caretakers of the vineyard Isaac who studied viticulture and enology at Washington State University is in charge of tending to the vines CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIESBen is the winemaker whose skills are more intuitive than calculated He's called it a mystical experience because left alone grapes will become wine on their own Sovereign is not only how their name is pronounced but what God's presence means in their lives He is sovereign I thank God every time I pick up a glass of wine for the wonderful thing he left us on earth to enjoy and console us without him being here Savaryn declared And I'm looking forward to being in heaven and enjoying all the fruits of the vine Fox News now offers a Fox News Wine Shop and a Fox News American Wine Club Anyone wanting more information can check those out
